Summary
Monolayers of a racemic mixture and of the pure S- and R-enantiomers of 3-hexadecyloxy-propane-1,2-diol have been investigated by fluorescence microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. Above the transition pressure Π c domains with a polygonal shape appear. On compressing the monolayers shape instabilities occur. While the spirals of the S-enantiomer turn clockwise and the spirals of the R-enantiomer turn counterclockwise, the spirals from one domain of the racemate exhibit opposite handedness. This behaviour is explained by a separation of enantiomers on the molecular level. At all pressures investigated the enantiomers exhibit an oblique lattice. The tilt angle of the molecules decreases with increasing pressure.
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Brezesinski, G., Rietz, R., Kjaer, K. et al. Separation of enantiomers in a diol monolayer studied by fluorescence microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. Nouv Cim D 16, 1487–1492 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02462033
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02462033